Ezybidz Fundraising Solutions has launched a new system enabling supporters to buy tickets to your event online and start bidding on auction items and contribute donations straight away.

To further support you Ezybidz will process the registrations, manage any enquiries, process payment and issue electronic tickets and a receipt all via the most secure on-line payment system on the market today. Organisers can access the system at any time to see who has registered and paid.

When you partner with Ezybidz, we create an exclusive event website so you can start to generate interest and excitement on the auction items well in advance of the event, as well as encourage supporters to buy their tickets electronically and spread the word.

The secure payment system will be familiar to anyone who shops on-line and, once payment has been made, guests will receive an automatically generated SMS and email confirming their payment.

The system is optimised for both iOS and Android so guests can use their own mobile or tablet to buy tickets, view and bid for auction items and make donations.

This new fundraising approach, means interstate and overseas supporters, unable to attend your fundraiser, can also take part in the auction, maximising funds raised for a cause they believe in.

Would you like to offer some incredible items in your fundraising- auction that will excite your guests and increase bidding? Then consignment items are your best option!

Consignment items are goods and services that are offered with no upfront cost and no risk since anything that doesn’t sell is returned to the consignor without any charges involved. The items will have a low wholesale reserve to cover the consignor’s costs, and the difference between this and the sale price goes directly to your fundraising total – think school kids selling fundraising chocolates.

1. The advantage of consignment

Items taken on consignment have a number of advantages. First there is no risk involved and it is quick and simple. You can choose from items that are most suitable for your event and what your guests are likely to buy. By having premier items available you can draw bidders to your event and use them to set the bar for donations by providing a higher expectation for your procurement team to work towards. Ezybidz offers a wide selection of consignment items that will make your guests want to bid at your event! From amazing holidays to beautiful memorabilia. Through consignment you gain access to otherwise unavailable experiences at well below retail.

2. The limitation of donations

Donations obviously have their place and the advantage of providing 100% return, but consignment items can add an extra benefit to your fundraiser as consignment items can fill the gap and offer auction- items that they are unlikely to get donated. The acquisition of suitable donated items ultimately depends on the personal connections of your procurement team and their ability to solicit donations. When you’re trying to meet a quota of one item for every 10 guests, needing a variety of items and price points, you will soon find that the best method is a combination of your donated auction items and consignment items.

3. A comprehensive approach

The beauty of including consignment items along with your donated items is that you can supplement any shortfall in quantity, quality or variety. Don’t leave your guests wanting more. Your guests will arrive knowing approximately how much they want to spend at your event. If you don’t provide items that excite them they may leave your event without leaving the financial support they intended. It would be such a shame to have guests that are willing to spend more on something unique but nothing fits the bill! And if something on consignment is proving very popular you can usually offer a second to the under-bidder, boosting your funds raised.

Additionally you can pair up a donated item with a consignment one to create a unique and desirable package with a less discernible value. And best of all, consignment items come with a fundraising consultant who can assess your event and your guests to provide a customised list of auction items that will offer the best returns, plus a team of experienced professionals who will set up your display and help to sell the items.

With one phone call to Ezybidz you can fill your auction catalogue in its entirety or supplement your donations with fabulous items. The wide range of items available on consignment means that you can meet every expectation quickly and easily.

Find out more about incorporating consignment items into your charity auction by calling us on 1300 399 243 or visit our website www.ezybidz.com.au for more information.

Fundraising events are a mainstay in your world, but they can take a lot of time, money and effort to pull off. One of the most important things to make your charity auction a success is to provide plenty of opportunities for attendees to get involved with your organization. Until people are connected and engaged with you—and passionate about your cause—your own fundraising goals alone are not compelling enough.

Your audience will determine what will and will not work in your fundraising auction and therefore how much money you will raise. Anyone in the industry can tell you to research your audience and cater to their tastes, and this is an important process in preparing for a fundraising auction. Ezybidz has many years’ experience working with a wide range of fantastic charities and organisations around Australia and we know the needs and demands of your fundraising audience. We offer free of charge fundraising-consultation to make sure that you event is a success!

There is often demand for home-grown items from Australia’s prolific sporting culture and items linked to our history. These categories of auction items are basics due to their nostalgic appeal to an Australian audience. While you may find the odd baseball or ice hockey fan in Australia, these sports don’t compare in popularity with cricket or football, for example. Put simply, the more popular the item, the more bidding attention it receives. Guests attending fundraising events in Australia are however more and more characterised by an increased spend on unique holidays and experiences rather than products. Ezybidz can supply amazing experiences like our Incredible Golfing Experience, tickets to the upcoming Rugby World Cup or a private villa in Tuscany.

Catering to the majority of your charity event’s guests by including some popular Holiday destinations as well as Experiences will lead to more competition in your live and silent auctions, raising more money for your organisation. Australians are also seeking unique opportunities with our heroes. Ezybidz offers money-can’t-buy celebrity experiences such as fishing or golf with a sporting legend.

When it comes to engaging with your fundraising audience, it is important to realise that you are unlikely to know every guest’s preference attending your event so it is essential to provide auction items that appeal to a wide range of people. Take all of your guests’ interests into account and provide local memorabilia that your guests can relate to, holidays they can dream about and experiences that will excite them!

Find out more about adding Ezybidz’s items to your charity fundraising auction by calling 1300 399 243 or visit www.ezybidz.com.au.

Preparing for a charity auction can be a challenging and often daunting task that requires countless hours of planning and effort. The following tips were designed to carefully guide you through your planning process, aiding you every step of the way toward the ultimate goal of profitability and success. By following these steps and by letting Ezybidz help you with every aspect, your organisation will find itself in a much stronger position to achieve maximum fundraising potential at your next event.

1. Locations and Libations

When searching for the perfect spot for your event, make sure you find a location large enough to accommodate all your guests comfortably. But too big a venue will take away from the overall atmosphere and appeal of your auction, making the venue appear empty.

2. Marketing Makes Money

Use your organisation’s Web site, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media to help promote popular items, and start a buzz around your upcoming auction. Ezybidz offers full social media coverage of your event on our social platforms as well. Ezybidz offers the option to set up a microsite so guests can start pre-bidding before the event has even begun. This will build up the excitement regarding the auction items. Also, send out invitations well in advance of your charity auction, sending reminder e-mails, making phone calls and sending letters, as your event draws closer.

3. Dabble in Diversity

When choosing your fundraising items, try to include a variety of items catering to many different interests. Also, try to vary your price range with high-, mid-, and low-priced items to appeal to the broad spectrum of your guests. Ezybidz offers a wide variety of different items such as, memorabilia, exclusive holidays and fantastic experiences.

4. Special Spotlight

When hosting an auction, place your strongest items in a visually attractive, easily accessible and centralized location. Always make sure you have a knowledgeable staff member nearby to help answer questions and promote your items. Ezybidz provides professional staff to be present at your event. They will be able to guide guests through the items and answer any questions they might have.

5. Layout Pays Out

Displaying your auction items on round tables will help promote the flow of traffic and guest interaction. By hanging signs and keeping similar items within a close proximity of one another, guests will be easily able to identify and locate their areas of interest.

6. Closing Calls

Stagger your closings, announcing warnings for each table separately to draw more attention to items before they close. Having the auctioneer offer several reminders throughout the event will help lure potential bidders back to certain items that may have slipped their minds.

7. Make Records to Break Records

Record everything from ticket sales to final bids. Every piece of data could prove valuable to your organisation, so the more information you collect, the better positioned you’ll be to improve upon your fundraising ideas for next year’s event. Ezybidz can provide you with a detailed auction report listing top donors, most popular auction items, registration and top bidders. This will give you a complete insight into the success of your event.

Let Ezybidz help you put these tips into action at your next fundraising event will yield higher profits for your organization, while creating a much wider appeal for your guests and supporters. In the long run, you’ll be able to better analyze the success of your charity auction and begin to alter some of the finer details that may be able to help improve your event for years to come. It’s never too early to start planning your next big auction or gala, so let’s get started today! Call Ezybidz today on 1300 399 243!

As fundraisers, it is important to know your non-profit audience. Who are the individuals you’re targeting?

If your answer is, “people who care about my cause,” you’re right, but that’s not very helpful when you’re designing great fundraising communications. Instead, you need to get inside your audience’s head.

What motivates these donors? What values do they have? Why do they give? What’s their interaction with you like? All of these factors need to be taken into account while organising your fundraising event as different audiences have different needs and desires and the auction items you choose for your audience depend on these factors. Ezybidz offer a wide variety of auction items which will suit all audiences. From cruises to memorabilia, Ezybidz will help you find the best items for your audience.

In order to get to know your audience and choose the best possible items for your fundraising event, there are three important steps you need to take:

Step 1: Audience Discovery

We often make a number of assumptions about who our audience is. Mostly, we assume that they are like us and that’s simply not true! It is important to go through a discovery process to get to know your real audience.

How do you do this?

You can start with the data that you have collected from surveys, Google Analytics and similar data collection systems. From this collection of information, you can make a number of inferences about your audience. But at some point, you’re going to need to talk to people. Make some phone calls. Hold a few interviews with key stakeholders. These one-on-one conversations are where the best information will come from. You’ll hear exactly how your supporters self-identify, what nuanced language they use to talk about the cause and why they like your organization’s work.

Step 2: Create Your Audience Profile

Once you’ve done some discovery and have collected enough data points to start to see some trends in your audience, it’s time to create your audience profile. Your audience persona is a mock-up of a fictional audience member. You give them a name, picture, life story, demographic details from your research, etc. The goal of creating this composite is to have a really clear picture of who you’re talking to.

Step 3: Use Your Profile as a Filter

After creating an audience persona, you’ll use it as a filter for each and every decision you make. Every time you create a donor, communications piece or a fundraising appeal, ask yourself – would this resonate with my target audience?

Once you have established who your target audience is, contact Ezybidz and let us help you select the best possible items that will make your fundraiser a guaranteed success.

For more information about us visit the ‘What we do – fundraising auction items’ tab on our website or call us on 1300 399 243.

You’ve decided to host a benefit auction at your next big non-profit fundraising event — that’s great! You’ve taken an important step toward successful fundraising. Now you are faced with a few important decisions while planning the event, which can be overwhelming.
One of the first things you’ll have to decide is whether to have a live or silent benefit auction. How do you know which is better for your organisation’s big night? Well, before we get ahead of ourselves, first let’s talk about the difference between the two.
Live auctions require an auctioneer who will engage attendees and encourage guests to call out bids. When it comes to silent auctions, attendees will put in their bid electronically and will find out if they won by the time the silent auction closes.
In most cases, a live auction is going to yield a high return on your items – simply because you have a persuasive individual encouraging more bids from your attendees. This is the main reason to incorporate a both a live and a silent auction into your fundraising event as this will result in the highest possible funds raised.
During a live auction, attendees are going head-to-head in a bidding war. They often get so caught up in the excitement that they call out higher bids without a second thought. When rationality goes out the window, who knows how much money you could raise? In fact, 50% of all sales come from live auctions!
Silent auctions are the way to go if you have a lot of items to auction off, but you can always incorporate a live component to sell some of more expensive or unique items. A good auctioneer will almost always generate high bids, which means more money raised per item – and more money raised altogether.
If you decide to host a silent auction, maybe because you’re using the auction as a complement to your main event, there are some ways that you can work to make it very effective. If you’re hosting a silent auction with a live auction, leave the big-ticket items for the live auction and place the items of less value on the bidding tables. Make sure to set up the tables so that attendees can easily go back and forth throughout the night, and remind the audience to check on their bids periodically. If you allow time for breaks during a dance or a golf tournament, guests can also use that time to head over to the bidding table.
Before you plan your next event, think about the outcome you’re hoping to achieve. If you’re trying to raise as much money as possible, which is the goal of most non-profits hosting a fundraising event, consider doing a combination of both a live and silent auction to get the results you want.

While planning your next Fundraising event there are several key aspects you need to take into consideration and certain things you need to be aware of, in order to make the right decision when it comes to selecting a fundraising organisation to help you.
Below are five Traps that lie out there, waiting to snag you:1) Commissions. Some companies will charge a commission on YOUR Donated items! Yes, they aim to take a percentage on the sale of items you have worked hard to procure, at no cost.
With Ezybidz this is not the case. We have never before charged any commission on donated items or services and will never do so in the future. When you choose Ezybidz, you get 100% of the funds on your donated items and 100% of funds over the cost price on consignment items! In addition to this you will be assured of the most professional service and the most amazing donated items without any unnecessary commissions.2) Authenticity of items. When the guests at your event are bidding on an item, they certainly want to know if the item is real and unquestionably authentic. This can be a deal-breaker in obtaining a successful bid on an item that will benefit your fundraising event. Worse still a faulty item or bad experiences which can come from unexperienced companies could put guest off supporting your charity again in the future!
Ezybidz has been in the industry for over 15 years and buys from only reputable sources, some for over a decade. All items come with a certificate of authenticity issued by Ezybidz, who stand behind their products, 100%.3) Hidden charges. One thing you must be aware of when deciding on your Fundraising partner is the hidden charges that may arise. At Ezybidz Fundraising Solutions, we can offer our technology and services, along with aspirational (and sought after) experiences and items, all with NO upfront or hidden charges. We are a fundraising solutions company and our main aim is to help you gain as many funds as possible for your charity.
Some companies charge a fee if your guests lose their bidding card, which they can’t participate in the auction without. Beware of these costs.4) Paying for the system when it comes to electronic bidding, there is always a sophisticated system involved and most IT companies charge their customers to use their electronic bidding system.
Ezybidz does not. We aim to provide our world-leading electronic system at NO-cost, so both you and your guests can enjoy the simplicity of electronic bidding, with no hit to your bottom line!5) Event staffing coordinating a Fundraising event can be a rewarding but overwhelming task, especially when faced with running an electronic auction! While volunteers are supremely beneficial, they may fall short on expertise in fundraising auctions. So where do you turn?
Ezybidz will arrange professional staff who are dedicated to help you succeed in exceeding your Fundraising goals! We call our team: Customer Service Representatives (CSR), who will run both the Live and Silent Auction, including collecting payments to completely relieve you of the stress. This comes at NO-cost, and with up to a dozen CSR’s able to be provided for your event, think how much the IT companies offering electronic bidding will charge for that!
So while organising your next fundraising event, be aware of these 5 hidden traps that are out there and be aware of the possibilities that arise by choosing Ezybidz. Just remember, Ezybidz Cares!

If you’re wondering whether or not your fundraising is headed in the right direction, there is news for you: healthy development programs require a lot more than just steadily increasing revenue. Sure, raising more this year than last year is important, but to be certain that your growth is sustainable, you need more.
There are four simple questions that you can ask to immediately find out whether or not a fundraising program is on the right track for steady, rapid growth… and where the organization needs some work. Take a minute to answer these four questions for your non-profit to see how strong your development program is:Question #1: When is Your Next Newsletter Coming Out, and Who is Responsible for It?
Do you know when your organization’s next newsletter is coming out? If not, would you know where to look up the answer? Do you know who is responsible for getting the newsletter out the door?
Planning is a key trait of successful non-profits. Good fundraising plans require deadlines and responsibilities – meaning that for every goal, there are deadlines when certain actions will be accomplished, and it is clear who will be responsible for each action. How strong is your non-profit’s fundraising plan?Question #2: What is Your Donor Retention Rate?
Donor movement is a fundamental discipline of strong non-profits. You must have a plan for moving your donors through the fundraising funnel, and you have to know where each donor stands and how successful you are at moving donors through the funnel.
If you don’t know your current donor retention rate, it is highly likely that you are not moving donors through the funnel efficiently or tracking them effectively.Question #3: Why Should Donors Give to Your Organization – Today?
Quick! In 30 seconds or less, can you give a great explanation of why donors should care about your organization and make a donation today?
Your non-profit’s case for support is a key foundation for successfully raising more money each and every year. If you don’t have a strong and compelling case statement, or if you and your team aren’t grounded enough in that case statement to be able to give a short, compelling reason to give at a moment’s notice, chances are that your fundraising will suffer.Question #4: How Many of Your Current Donors Came through Referrals?
Did you know that the single best source of new prospects for your fundraising program is referrals from current donors, board members, volunteers and other supporters?
What percentage of your current donor base came through referrals from other donors? If you don’t know the answer to this question, it is probably because your non-profit isn’t focused on referrals or doesn’t have a referral system in place.
Focusing on referrals can significantly increase your donor pipeline and will help your organization dramatically increase fundraising revenue.
Take some time to answer the four questions above. If there are some questions you don’t know the answer to, or some answers that you think could be better, don’t fret – these four questions are a starting point for better fundraising. Once you answer them, you’ll know where you need to focus your energies in the year to come.

But Do You Know Why?
Ok, we know electronic bidding is the fastest growing fundraising auction platform around the globe but do we know what is driving its popularity?

Here are some key findings from a focus group study and research reports, stating key motivations behind why guests enjoy engaging in online electronic silent auctions.

Why online mobile auctions are attractive?

The digital age
Think about these key factors and statistics. With a global shift towards an online life, over 90% penetration rate of the internet, and mobile device penetration rate standing well over 80% in Australia, with predictions it will overtake PC’s in 2014, put simply, it’s part of our lives. Everyone has a mobile device and knows how to use the internet.

Know-how
You have a generation of experienced bidders in the various online auctions sites, so people already know how to use online auction systems.

Research shows with the Gen X, Gen Y and even late Boomers, there is no real learning necessary.

Convenience
Research found one motivating factor is guests and charity supporters can integrate electronic silent auction bidding in their lifestyles, at the event, on their own terms, within their own schedule. In addition, they can bid for auction items from the comfort of their seats at the event, even from their bedrooms which from research reveal, guests feel it makes the process much easier.

Competitive nature

Much research has been done about the competitive factor driving higher bids, excitement and being the key motivation for guests to engage in electronic bidding for charity silent auctions. Once you have bid for an item on your phone, you are sent instant outbid alerts, which is great for engagement. When you win, you are also instantly messaged. This further drives the competitive nature of guests leveraged through electronic bidding technology.

Involving All Bidders
Research shows some women are not as keen on live auctions, where they are competing in the public eye or even against friends.

However women make up the large majority of bidders on average at fundraising auctions, so you would be missing out on potential major contributors.

A focus group report found women prefer silent auctions because it cuts out this barrier, and electronic online bidding allows them to still compete without direct conflict.

All Factors
This brings all the above factors together. You know how to use your mobile for fundraising auctions, its right in your hand so it’s convenient; it drives your competitive nature by constant alerts. You can avoid competing in the public directly or against friends.

So What Impact Does This Have On Fundraising?
You have guests engaged with a streamlined electronic bidding system that allows multiple bidders engrossed at the event, as well as from multiple locations, increasing efficiency and ultimately generating more funds raised.

From a strategic planning perspective, you see all the data about what items are selling well and to who during the auction in real time, as well as after, where you can see patterns in bidder behavior, can adjust appropriately, and most importantly for selection of items for future fundraising events.

It’s a hassle free option with low investment and proven high returns.

What could be a bigger mistake in fundraising auctions than losing a percentage of the money you raise to a fundraising company? After all your hard work pulling together a multifaceted fundraising gala event with entertainment and decorations, arranging media coverage, inviting your supporters, and of course procuring those have-to-have items for your auction, why would you allow a fundraising company to skim the cream from what you raise?

It’s a question that boggles our minds. And what further astounds us is that these companies often provide their bidding system with no service! That means that you are paying to do the work of loading all of your auction items into their program and running the auction yourself, including if anything goes wrong. They might even tell you that this way you’re keeping everything internal and will have more control over your auction. Of course you’ll have more control – you’ll be doing all the work for the auction on top of everything else that needs to happen at your event!

Fixed pricing is the only way to ensure that your budget is fixed and not hit by nasty surprises. Save thousands of dollars over electronic bidding providers with fees that are based on the financial success of your event. You’re paying for a fixed service – why should you pay more when nothing more is done to earn it?

Avoid this mistake by examining electronic bidding providers and finding out up-front what you expect to pay. Ezybidz is proud to be able to offer our premium silent auction bidding system with our full service, including our staff at your event, at no cost to you by including fixed price consignment items in your auction. Or you can simply pay the flat rate for this same service without the consignment items. Discover more by calling us on 1300 399 243.